EC asks Observers to act impartially
New Delhi, September 20
The eyes and ears of the Election Commission during the polls, Observers, today met the three-member commission and they were instructed to constantly review execution of non-bailable warrants, recovery of illicit arms and collection of licensed arms from undesired elements and were given other directions to conduct free and fair polls in Bihar.

Narendra Modi on uneasy turf
Gandhinagar, September 20
In the backdrop of the BJP national executive meeting at Chennai, friends turned foes, Chief Minister Narendra Modi and former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel chose different ways to make their power point projections in Gujarat today.

BJP general secretaries to meet at Advani’s residence
New Delhi, September 20
The post mortem of the just-concluded National Executive Meeting in Chennai and firming up of strategies for Bihar Assembly poll are likely when BJP general secretaries and other top leaders of the party will meet at party President L. K. Advani’s residence here tomorrow.

A rickshaw-puller trudges along beside a row of stationary yellow cabs in Kolkata on Tuesday as a transporters’ strike, against the recent oil price hike, hits the city. — PTI(28k,
56k)

BJP for judicial probe into KGB agent's allegations
New Delhi, September20
Raising its pitch over the “shocking revelations” by the former KGB agent, Vasili
Mitrokhin, about money regularly being paid to the Congress Party and the CPI, the BJP on Tuesday demanded a judicial probe into the issue.

India for laws against high-tech crimes
New Delhi, September 20
India today suggested enactment of laws against high-tech crimes in the pattern of the laws enacted by the United Nations Commissions on International Trade Laws (UNCITRAL) so that dual criminality which is essential for deportation and extradition of criminals could be easily established.

More tsunamis predicted Chennai, September 20When it comes to predictions whether about natural calamities or even election results none can beat astrologers in south India.Around 300 astrologers from all over south India who gathered here for a two-day conference to debate the effect of the transit of Jupiter from Virgo to Libra, have predicted more natural disasters, including tsunamis in December and January next year.

Suicide by rape accused in court
Acquittal announced laterNagpur, September 20An accused in an alleged rape case along with his friend committed suicide in court premises at Akola before the court’s verdict in the case.Shailesh Uttam Gopkar (26) was facing offences of criminal assault under section 363, 376, IPC, for the alleged crime at Hatgaon village in Akola district on March 16, 2004.

Hotel construction: notice to HP Govt
New Delhi, September 20
The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Himachal Pradesh Government and the owner of a private hotel at Shimla on a petition challenging an order of the state high court permitting him to erect a concrete slab on the fifth floor of the hotel building in prohibited heritage zone of the city.

Embraer jets inducted
into IAF
New Delhi, September 20
The Embraer 135 BJ legacy jets bought by India for the VIP and VVIP travel were inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee at a ceremony held at IAF station Palam today. Home Minister Shivraj Patil was also present at the occasion.

Transporters’ strike in Kolkata
Kolkata, September 20
Private transport operations in the state began a two-day strike from today, demanding the abolition of sales tax and excise duties on petrol and diesel, which would help them meet the problems of the recent price increase of these two commodities.

Hiding terrorist held in Jaipur
Jaipur, September 20
A top terrorist of the Assam-based banned militant organisation,The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), was arrested along with his woman accomplice at Amber on Monday.

New Delhi, September 20
The eyes and ears of the Election Commission during the polls, Observers, today met the three-member commission and they were instructed to constantly review execution of non-bailable warrants, recovery of illicit arms and collection of licensed arms from undesired elements and were given other directions to conduct free and fair polls in Bihar.

The Commission has decided to deploy 281 officers as Observers (243 General and 38 Expenditure) to supervise the election process in forthcoming four phased Bihar legislative assembly elections.

To ensure close monitoring and supervision one general observer is being appointed for each Assembly constituency and one expenditure observer for each district as was done during the last Assembly elections in Bihar, the poll panel said.

“The observers will constantly review execution of non-bailable warrants, recovery of illicit arms and collection of licensed arms from undesirable elements. They would also ensure that preventive arrests are made totally objectively and on merit,” the EC said.

The Commission said the Observers had been asked to make sure that the affidavits filed by the candidates at the time of nomination detailing their movable/immovable assets, qualifications, convictions, cases pending in courts, are displayed prominently and made available for public scrutiny without any loss of time.

Observers have specifically been asked to build confidence among weaker and disadvantaged sections by touring their respective allotted Assembly constituency extensively.

The EC said the Observers had been asked to strictly enforce implementation of model code of conduct.

They were informed that during the forthcoming elections, no videography or photography would be allowed inside the polling stations and secrecy of vote would have to be maintained at all costs.

The Observers were directed to make sure that extensive videography was done of all critical events that may take place during the election process, and polling at hyper-sensitive/sensitive polling stations.

The expenditure observers have been asked to monitor the expenditure closely and check the accounts submitted by candidates regularly. The accounts submitted periodically by the candidates shall be displayed by the Returning Officer prominently.

Gandhinagar, September 20
In the backdrop of the BJP national executive meeting at Chennai, friends turned foes, Chief Minister Narendra Modi and former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel chose different ways to make their power point projections in Gujarat today.

Mr Patel sought to voice his displeasure at party chief L.K.Advani's partisan patronage by keeping away from the meeting on the plea that his recuperating wife required his presence here.He let former Union Minister Kashiram Rana and former Chief Minister Suresh Mehta handle matters at Chennai in his
absence. Mr Modi, on the other hand, went to the national executive, ensuring that five key district party chiefs were replaced with his trusted men .He was at his flamboyant best there and returned to ensure the suspension of party legislator Ramilaben
Patel. The dissident legislator from Kheralu in North Gujarat who belongs to the Patel camp had threatened self-immolation against sustained harassment at the hands of her party government and charged Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Education Minister Anandiben Patel and Minister of State for Home Amit Shah with conspiring to eliminate her.The charges were voiced in a letter to national party chief L.K.Advani.

Immediately after Mr Modi and state party chief Vajubhai Vala returned here on Sunday , the latter issued a suspension order to Ramilaben for her purported wild
allegations. She has been given a week to explain.

Though the ruling group camp followers sought to make out that the show cause notice had the blessings of the party top brass in Delhi, Mr Modi's aggressive stance also prompted to offset the impression that with Mr Advani's departure date now set, the Gujarat Chief Minister would be progressively weakened .

Ramilaben who called on former Chief Ministers Keshubhai Patel and Suresh Mehta here termed the letter as a show-cause notice.

" I will definitely reply to the
notice. I am a loyal party worker. Nevertheless, if I am unfairly targetted, there
will be hell to pay.I will spill all the filth that is going on in the party on the streets", a furious Ramilaben told mediapersons waiting for her at Mr Patel's residence.

Though the dissident camp strategy has been to adopt a low profile until national succession battles are sorted out in
Delhi, the suspension of Ramilaben is likely to act like a red rag to a
bull. Top dissident leaders are meeting here tonight to decide their future course of action.

New Delhi, September 20
The post mortem of the just-concluded National Executive Meeting in Chennai and firming up of strategies for Bihar Assembly poll are likely when BJP general secretaries and other top leaders of the party will meet at party President L. K. Advani’s residence here tomorrow.

This will be the first meeting of the party’s central leadership after Mr Advani created a flutter within the party as well as in the Sangh Parivar by taking a swipe at the RSS on the concluding day of the National Executive on September 18.

“Though it is a routine meeting of the general secretaries, which is held every Wednesday, and has no specific agenda, it is quite obvious that there will be a post mortem of the Chennai National Executive meeting,” a senior party functionary told The Tribune here today.

The leaders are also expected to focus on the preparations and strategies pertaining to the coming Bihar Assembly poll and issues relating to ticket distribution and seat-sharing arrangements with the party’s alliance partner Janata Dal (United).

Mr Advani had, during his concluding remarks at the National Executive, noted that the BJP had no hesitation in “consulting the RSS functionaries” and then taking “its own independent decisions”. Some of these decisions “may differ” and have indeed differed “from the stated positions of the RSS and certain constituents of the Sangh Parivar”.

New Delhi, September20
Raising its pitch over the “shocking revelations” by the former KGB agent, Vasili
Mitrokhin, about money regularly being paid to the Congress Party and the CPI, the BJP on Tuesday demanded a judicial probe into the issue.

“It is a shocking and serious revelation....A sitting Judge of the Supreme Court should hold an inquiry into the entire revelations by former the KGB agent Vasili Mitrokhin and also the statement made by the CPM leader Mr Jyoti Basu on the Congress’ links with the American secret agency,” said Deputy Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Mr Vijay Kumar Malhotra.

New Delhi, September 20
India today suggested enactment of laws against high-tech crimes in the pattern of the laws enacted by the United Nations Commissions on International Trade Laws (UNCITRAL) so that dual criminality which is essential for deportation and extradition of criminals could be easily established.

CBI Director U.S. Misra, who is heading an eight-member Indian delegation to the 74th Interpol General Assembly being held at Berlin, Germany, told Interpol members countries to enter into Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT) so that high-tech criminals could be deported as a rule and extradited in exceptional cases.

Mr Misra also suggested that developed countries should transfer technology and impart effective operational training, particularly in cyber forensics, to the investigators in the developing countries, a CBI press note issued said here.

Mr Misra, who is also the head of the National Central Bureau (Interpol, New Delhi) said as an emerging IT super power, India is ideally placed to perform a nodal role in combating high-tech crimes in the Asian region. He offered to train policemen from other countries in the investigation of high-tech crimes and exchange expertise with them under the expansive mandate of the Interpol.

In this context, he pleaded for speedy efforts to constitute mobile and multi-member high-tech crime investigating units that can be rushed at short notice to any country on request to assist in the investigation.

He further said Interpol should draft and implement a universal high-tech crime cooperation charter.

Chennai, September 20
When it comes to predictions whether about natural calamities or even election results none can beat astrologers in south India.

Around 300 astrologers from all over south India who gathered here for a two-day conference to debate the effect of the transit of Jupiter from Virgo to Libra, have predicted more natural disasters, including tsunamis in December and January next year.

However, their political predictions contradict each other.

With the state Assembly elections scheduled next May, many tried their hand forecasting the poll outcome and saying that Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa would sail through, though the performance of her party might not be like the last time. She will return to power with a lesser majority.

They felt that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) would face turbulent times and might split.

Navamani Shanmugavel, an astrologer from Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu, said:“The DMK-led alliance will break up and some of its constituents will join Jayalalithaa. An unexpected alliance is likely to come up and Jayalalithaa might have a pact with another party, which might be the new one floated by Tamil film star, Vijayakanth.”

Another woman astrologer, Akandileswari, predicted failing health of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi which will result in the break up of the DPA.

Astrologers from all the states in south India have been meeting here since 1992 to debate and discuss planetary transits and positions and its effects on people. The conference which ended today also came up with predictions on national political scenario.

Balamurugan, a Chennai-based astrologer predicted that the Manmohan Singh government at the Centre would remain in power for at least two-and-a-half years more. He claimed that he had predicted in November 2003 about Dr Singh becoming the Prime Minister.

He felt: “After three-and-a-half years, Dr Singh is likely to develop health problems. While Rahul Gandhi will be a powerful union minister, it is Priyanka who has the chances of becoming Prime Minister after 2007.”

However, they failed to explain that if the DPA split before the Tamil Nadu poll in May next year how can the UPA government continue further as the political crisis at national level will deepen with the Dravidian parties withdrawing support to the government.

Rationalists here felt such conferences should not be highlighted by the media as it had no scientific basis and created confusion among people.

Said Ms D.Nagasaila, a human rights lawyer:“It should not be given much importance by the media”.

Nagpur, September 20
An accused in an alleged rape case along with his friend committed suicide in court premises at Akola before the court’s verdict in the case.Shailesh Uttam Gopkar (26) was facing offences of criminal assault under section 363, 376, IPC, for the alleged crime at Hatgaon village in Akola district on March 16, 2004.

Gopkar, accompanied by his distant maternal uncle and friend Sharad Maroti Dongardive (25) had come to the court
yesterday.

Sessions Judge S.S. Mahajan was to deliver the judgement in the afternoon but before the judgement could clear him of rape charges, Gopkar and Dongardive consumed some poisonous substance in the canteen in the court
premises.

They fell unconscious and fainted and were rushed to Civil Hospital but breathed their last within no time.

The police recovered a suicide note which said they were taking the extreme step due to domestic reasons.

Gopkar’s mother Leelabai was also an accused for helping him to commit the crime.

Gopkar had eloped with a girl from Gadchiroli to Murtizapur with whom he was very friendly. But the girl’s parents opposed and lodged a complaint against him.

Ironically, both the accused were acquitted of the charges by the judge, who also acquitted Leelabai in the case.
—PTI

New Delhi, September 20
The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Himachal Pradesh Government and the owner of a private hotel at Shimla on a petition challenging an order of the state high court permitting him to erect a concrete slab on the fifth floor of the hotel building in prohibited heritage zone of the city.

Taking cognizance of the special leave petition (SLP) by the Shimla Municipal Corporation against the July 7 order of the high court, a Bench of Mr Justice B.N. Agrawal and Mr Justice A.K. Mathur sought replies from the state government and Harsha hotel owner O.P. Laul.

Corporation's counsel Anil Nag told the Bench that the high court on the one hand had though permitted the hotel owner to erect the concrete slab on the fifth floor of the building, which virtually amounted to granting permission to construct an extra floor not permitted under law and on the other it had asked him to maintain the status quo.

The two conditions ran contrary to each other, he said adding that it in fact under the Interim Development Plan Shimla town, notified by the state government in1979 under the Country Planning Act, construction up to two floors were permitted in the natural heritage zone area only on a vacant plot, the SLP said.

The extended Mall Road at Chaura Maidan area where the hotel stood had also been declared natural heritage zone under the town development plan, it said.

"In fact all kind of construction was prohibited in the strip of 25 meters on either side of the Mall Road under the development plan," the SLP said.

The high court had issued the direction in an interim order on the petition of the hotel owner, who wanted to revive an old permission to build an extra floor which was granted in 1975 when no development was in force, it said.

New Delhi, September 20
The Embraer 135 BJ legacy jets bought by India for the VIP and VVIP travel were inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee at a ceremony held at IAF station Palam today. Home Minister Shivraj Patil was also present at the occasion.

The three legacy business jet, inducted into Air HQ Comn Sqn would replace the Avro, which have been doing the duty till now. The Embraer was selected from a host of other contenders mainly for the value for money it offers.

The characteristics of this aeroplane include a maximum Ramp weight of 22,570 kg and a maximum fuel capacity of 8,300 kg. While it can carry 10 passengers to a maximum range of 3,100 nautical miles, its cabin volume of 40 cubic metres offers ample space for seating 12 passengers including four in the VIP cabin. Flying at a cruise speed of 0.78 mach, it does the job of communicating passengers efficiently.

With a take off distance of 1,800 metres and landing distance of 1,400 metres, it can operate from most of the airfields in India and abroad.

The cockpit encompasses the modern features of flight management system, global positioning system and other navigation systems giving it ‘Reduced Vertical Separation Minima’ and ‘CAT II ILS’ capabilities. The features of glass cockpit and auto flight systems are in keeping with the modern trends of cockpit instrumentation and mark the beginning of the much-needed modernisation of the IAF transport fleet.

Kolkata, September 20
Private transport operations in the state began a two-day strike from today, demanding the abolition of sales tax and excise duties on petrol and diesel, which would help them meet the problems of the recent price increase of these two commodities.

In response to the strike, private buses, taxis and mini-buses were taken out of the road, which had paralysed the normal traffic movement in the city and elsewhere. A few government buses and trams were pressed into service but these were too small in number to meet the requirement.

Most of the schools, colleges and educations were declared holiday yesterday. But the attendances of the employees in the government offices and other organisations were less in number for non-plying of the normal public transports.

The State Transport Minister, Mr Subhas Chakraborty, agreed to enhance the transport fares but the bus, taxi and mini-bus owners demanded that instead of allowing the increased fares, the government should withdraw the present exorbitant sales tax and excise duties.

Jaipur, September 20
A top terrorist of the Assam-based banned militant organisation,The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), was arrested along with his woman accomplice at Amber on Monday.

Beeju Chakravarti - alias Shailen Sharma (36), had been hiding in this historic township with Poli (25) for the past few months. Posing as husband and wife, they were running a shop of readymade garments. During an intensive search of their house, police recovered a 9 MM pistol, 2 magazines, 40 live cartridges and nearly Rs.4 lakh in cash from them.

Beeju is considered as the mastermind behind several bomb-blasts occurred in Guwahati this year. He is reportedly facing a number of cases in respect of smuggling of arms, kidnapping for ransom and other anti-national activities, said the police sources. Beeju was a formidable fund-raiser for the ULFA.

Hyderabad, September 20
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy denied today that he had charged the UPA partner Telangana Rashtra Samithi of being in cahoots with the Maoists. Media reports today said that the AP Chief Minister had publicly accused the TRS nexus with Naxals, at the meeting of the Chief Ministers of the Naxal-affected states convened by the Union Home Minister in Delhi on Monday.
— TNS

He was 64. He is survived by his wife, two sons and grand children.
Somu, who entered the field in the 1960s, had served in six newspapers and magazines in his career, spanning over more than four decades.
— UNI